Food grades in the former Auckland City region show 10 restaurants and cafes have received E grades, with 29 given a D grade.

The New Zealand Herald online asked readers if they were influenced by the food grading system. Nearly 13,500 readers responded and just over half said they used the rating to make a call about whether to dine there. Or not.

But to the every day diner, how do these places really stack up?

A few brave members of the online team have decided to put their bellies on the line and review all 29 of the D listers, revealing one a day for the month of September. D grade eateries are reviewed twice a year, according to Auckland City Council. While they are subject to change, our list is correct as of the last week of August, 2013. If the grade is changed at the time of publication this will be made clear in the review.

So join us on our journey eating through the D list. Check in at lunch each day, read our review, and let us know in the poll if you have - or would - eat at the outlet.

We ordered: Steak, chips and salad ($13.90) a chocolate milkshake ($5) and a mince pie claiming to be homemade ($3.80). The steak was dressed with a nice pepper sauce and not too bad at all. The milkshake was a standard dairy shake but the pie was one of the worst we've eaten.

The vibe was: Okay at the bench by the window, people watching on sunny Queen Street. It felt student friendly.

The décor looked: Not the most cared for place we've seen, but nothing too impressive.

The service was: Counter service with a friendly chap.

We left feeling: Like we'd made a healthy choice with the steak, but disappointed with the Kiwi classic mince pie.

We could see their D grade: Not from where we stood. When asked, they said it was in the mail but admitted it was a D.

The most D-grade thing about it: Probably the disappointing cabinet food.

We'd go back: Not for the pies, but if we were walking past and really hungry.